Divider means for file receptacles



.s E N O J R J.

DIVIDER MEANS FOR FILE RECEPTAGLES Filed May 3, 1939 fimixixix.;

WEA/mg Patented Mar. 4, 1941 iLl-NITED 'STATES DIVIDER MEANS FR FILE RECEPTACLES James-R. Jones, Lakewood,.rN. 'Y.,'assignor'.to 'Art Metal OonstructionCompany, Jamestown,

VApplication May 3, 1939,Serial'No. 271,538

4 Claims.

This inventionrelates to improvements in filing devices 'of that kind in which a drawer, tray or receptacle, `in which letters, documents or other articles Aare led in standingposition, is equipped with dividers'or partition plates for separating the file contents into groups to better facilitate the ling and examination thereof. Such dividers are commonly arranged so that they can beadjusted todiierent positions in the receptacle to divide the contents into groups ofdesired size and number, and so as to properly support the iiled articles when they do not fill thel receptacle. Also, the dividers are usually mounted so that they can tilt or swing to inclined positions to better enable the examination and handling of i the le documents.

One object of my invention is to provide a desirable and convenient liiling` device with divider means of this character'which 'are of eX- ceedingly simple, practical and `economical construction.

Another oibject of `the invention is to provide means ffor adjustably mounting `le dividers in receptacles, of a construction, which enables the dividers' and Y' their mounting means t-o be furnished'ior drawers or receptacles already in use and to be quickly and easily installed in the receptacles byfunskilled persons without the use of tools.

With the above and other objects and advantages, whichwillihereinafter-appear, in view, a lpreferred embodiment of the invention, illustra'ted in the accompanying drawing, is hereinafter described and the novel features of lthe invention are set forth in the appended claims.

In saiddrawing:

Fig. lI isa View of a drawer or receptacle, partly in rside elevation and partly in longitudinal section, equipped with iile ydivider means embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse*sec'tion'thereof on lin 2-"2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is :a fragmentary, perspective view of the slotted channelmember or devicefor mounting the dividers in the receptacle.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, longitudinal section Vof'the device showing two dividers in place in therchannel-member and another divider spaced'above the channel member in posi- I tion forinsertion therein.

5 isan enlarged, transverse section thereof line 5-5,:`Fig. 4.

it indicates a drawer, such as used in le cabinets,` desks :or the like; and which is equipped with Tile dividing means according tozmyinvenmetal and having a bottom and vertical side,"

'front land rear end walls.v Filing receptacles of this sort are commonlyv made with a channel or groove II extending lengthwise. inV .the receptacle bottom between theside wallsrthereof, and my Iimprovements are Imore particularly intended for` use' with receptacles provided .with such longitudinal bottom grooves or channels I'I.

I2 indicates the dividers or partition plates, of which any desired number, Vone or more, may

be provided, depending upon the number .of

groups into which it is desired. to divide thecontents of the receptacle. Each divider is formed or provided at its bottom with a downwardlyprojecting foot or extension I3 adapted toLp-roject down into the channel II of the receptacle. The divider shown is formed of a thin plate of sheet 'metal and the foot I3 is formed'by a separate plate spot welded to the divider plate, the foot being made of metal of sufficient thickness to withstand the bending strains encountered under ordinary conditions of use. As shown, the divider plate is preferably stamped or embossed Vto provide it with a rounded stiiening and strengthening rib I4 which projects out from the surface of the plate and embraces the upper end of the foot plate, and also with stiiening ribs Iii.

A channel member I6 is preferably seated and `removably retainedI in `the bottomv groove II of the receptacle for adjustably mounting the dilvider plates' in the receptacle. This channel member I6, as shown, has a horizontal web or ybottom and upwardly projecting, hollow side flanges formed as by bending the sideportions yofthe metal strip from which it is made, first upwardly, then outwardly and then downwardly, vseas to provide at each of the opposite sides of 'the channel, Aan upwardly extending inner'wall Il and a downwardly extending outer wall`I8 spaced outwardly from the inner wall il. These hollow sides or flanges of the channel "memberl ar slotted, as shown, atrelatively closelyspace'd .intervals throughout the length of the member -sofas to form slots in the inner rsidewalls I 'I 'having narrowv` necks I9 which open upwardly -through'the topedges of the anges, and com-l EJs nAAA

- positions.

municating, broadened, lower slot portions 20, preferably of V-shape, having narrow, bottom ends and forming shoulders at opposite sides of the narrow neck portions I9.

The foot extension of each divider is provided at its opposite side ends with lateral projections or lugs 2| adapted to be inserted into and seat in registering slots 20 in the opposite flanges of the channel member, the lugs being insertalble downwardly into 4the slots through their narrow necks I9. These lugs are adapted to bear in the narrow bottom ends of the slots, and the V-formation of the slots permits the lugs to swing or pivot about their lower edges as fulcrums forwardly and rearwardly in the slots, thereby permitting the divider to be swung back and forth between forwardly and rearwardly tilting positions, indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. I

The channel member I6 is removably seated in the bottom groove of the receptacle and can be inserted in place therein and removed without the use of tools. It isrpreferably releasably retained in the groove by frictional engagement betweenthe downturned flange walls I8 of the channel member andthe side walls of the groove, for which purpose the ange walls I8 may be formed so that when inserting the channel member into the groove, said walls are deflected or sprung inwardly somewhat, and by their tendency to resumev their initial positions, press against 'the' side walls of the groove and'thus firmly hold the channel member by friction in the groove, while nevertheless permitting the channel member to be pulled out of the groove. Thus, any drawer or receptacle made with a bottom groove II can be readily equipped with dividers simply by inserting a channel member of proper width into the groove and putting one or more dividers, as desired, in place in the channel member, as explained. The provision of the numerous spaced slots in the channel memvfootlugs of the divider bear in the narrow bottom ends of the slots, and thus serve as pivots or fulcrums on which the divider is adapted to swing freely from one to the other of its tilted While the slots enable the ready insertion of the foot lugs for mounting the dividers in place in the receptacle, the downwardly facing shoulders formedy at opposite sides of the narrow necks of the slots bythe V-portions of the slots prevent thev removal of the divider from the slots except when the divider is in an upright, central position. Thus, accidental disen- `gagementor displacement of the dividers from their retaining slots in the use of the device is `not apt to occur.

'Ihe divider, mounted in the receptacle in connection with the slotted channel member, as eX- plained, is adapted to be supported either in a forwardly or rearwardly tilted position by the engagement of the foot lugs in the slots and the engagementof the bottom edge of the divider plate against theupper edges of the side flanges of the channel member, or against the bottom of the receptacle at the sides of its bottom groove. Preferably, however, the divider plate is provided at the upper portion of its side edges with lateral projections 22 adapted to engage the upper edges or other suitable portions of the side walls of the receptacle to limit the tilting of the divider and thus reduce strain on the divider foot extension. The stop projections 22 are preferably equipped with pads 23 or felt or other suitable material for preventing noise and marring of the receptacle walls by the striking of the projections thereagainst. The pads may be secured in place by folding over the upper edge of the divider plate and clamping the pads between the parts of the fold, which reinforce the upper edge of the plate and form the lateral projections.

I claim as my invention:

l. The combination with a le receptacle having an upwardly facing groove in its bottom, of a channel member seated in said groove and having upwardly projecting side anges formed with inner walls and downwardly extending outerl walls spaced from said inner walls and frictionally engaging .the sides of said groove for releasably retaining the channel member in the groove, said inner walls having spaced slots therein, and a divider having a foot extending downwardly into said channel member between said flanges and having lateral projections seated in oppositek slots in said flanges, said slots having narrow upper ends extending through the upper edges of said side flanges and through which said projections are adapted to enter the slots,='

and said slots being widened below their upper ends whereby said projections are adapted to pivot therein to permit the tilting of the divider to inclined positions.

2. The combination with a le receptacle, of a channel member removably secured at the bottom of the receptacle and having' upwardly projecting side flanges provided with out-turned top edges, said top edges having outer portions which frictionally engage xed receptacle walls at opposite sides of the channel member and releasably retain said member in place, said flanges being provided with spaced slots having V-like lower portions and narrow necks between downwardly facing shoulders and opening upwardly through the top edges of said flanges, and a divider having a foot with extends downwardly into said channel member between said flanges and I has lateral projections removably seated and adapted to pivot in the V-like portions of oppoi site slots in said anges of the channel member and adapted to pass vertically through the narrow necks of the slots.

3. The combination with a file receptacle, of a channel member reasonably retained in the botv tom portion thereof and having upwardly projecting side ange walls formed with top edges which project laterally outward therefrom, said top edges having outer portions which releasably engage xed walls of the receptacle located at opposite sides of said channel member and ree leasably hold said member in place and space said flange walls inwardly from said fixed walls, said flange walls having spaced slots therein,

vand a divider having a foot extending downwardly into the channel member between said anges and having laterally projecting rugs removably .seated in opposite slots in said side 'ange walls,

4. A channel member adapted to be seated inv the bottom of a file receptacle for supporting file dividers in the receptacle, said member consisting of a sheet metal channel having upwardly projecting side iiange walls with top edges which project laterally outwardly therefrom and have outer portions adapted to releasably engage fixed Walls of the receptacle located at opposite sides of said channel member for retaining the channel member in position and spacing said flange walls inwardly away from said xed Walls, said ange Walls having spaced slots therein for the reception of lugs projecting laterally from the feet of dividers adapted to extend into the channel of said member, said slots having narrow throats extending through said lateral top edges of said ange Walls and through which the divider lugs can pass into and out of said slots, and said slots being widened below their throats whereby the divider lugs can pivot therein to permit the tilting of the dividers to inclined positions.

JAMES R. JONES.

CERTIFI CA TE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,255,958 March LL, 19in.

JAMES R. JONES.

It is hereby certified that' error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring; correction as follows: Page 2, second column, line 5, for or felt or" read --o'f felt or-; line 11.7, claim 2, for "with" read' --vvhich; line 67, claim 5, for the Word "rgs" read --lugs--g and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction vtherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 5rd day of June,l A. D. 19141.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting; Commissioner of Patents. 

